In an optical communications system, communications signals in the form of optical energy are transmitted along an optical fiber cable. The cable provides a communications link among various optical components of the system. Because an optical fiber of the cable is readily damaged, the fiber must be enclosed. For example the fiber is enclosed and protected by an outer jacket of the cable. Any of the various optical components of the system may include an interconnection with a bare optical fiber, namely a fiber that is not enclosed in a cable or other protective packaging. The bare optical fiber provides a convenient means of linking the component to the optical fiber cable.
An optical component may be one of various types. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,109 discloses a component known as a source interconnected with a bare optical fiber. Packaging for the bare optical fiber includes a metal tube in which the fiber is contained. U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,996 discloses a component known as a detector interconnected with a bare optical fiber. Packaging for the fiber includes a resilient ferrule. U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,940 discloses a component known as a coupler, wherein a component comprises a bare optical fiber interconnected with another bare optical fiber. The coupler is supplied without packaging for protecting the bare optical fibers of the coupler. Each of the patents discloses an optical component interconnected with a bare optical fiber for which packaging is needed for protecting the bare optical fiber.